DVD Releases

These are the various DVDs released by British Pathé which are currently available to buy. We’ve listed them roughly in order of their popularity – but we like them all. If there’s a part of our collection you’d like to see released on DVD, get in touch with us and demand it!

This three-disc set contains a comprehensive programme on each year of the 1930s, offering extraordinary insight into the decade leading up to the Second World War. Witness the Great Depression, Amelia Earhart flying and Malcolm Campbell breaking records. See Fred Perry win Wimbledon. Watch as Edward VIII abdicates in order to marry Wallis Simpson. Follow the rise of Adolf Hitler.

An extraordinary overview of the 1950s, this set features all the key political, social and cultural events of that decade. Relive everything from the Suez Crisis, the coronation of Elizabeth II and the launch of Sputnik to Bing Crosby playing golf and the last ride on the London tram.

Using rare news footage and interviews, this fabulous series provides a unique look at what made the news of yesteryear. With an individual programme on each year of the 1960s, this set provides the definitive insight into the decade that “swung” under the shadow of the bomb.

Relive the 1970s with this popular series that charts the rise of Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s entry into the European Common Market, the breakup of the Beatles and the death of Elvis Presley. The set contains an hour-long programme for each year of the decade.

British Pathé has released six collections of performances and variety acts from the 20th century. There’s a set for the early 1930s, the mid-1930s and the late-1930s, as well as a terrific collection covering 1938 and 1939. The post-war set features acts from 1946 to 1949. But perhaps the most interesting is the WW2 collection which features the performers who helped troops and civilians keep smiling through the dark days of war.

The TV series Time to Remember was a benchmark in documentary-making. Originally produced in the 1960s, it touched on all aspects of life in the first half of the 20th century using British Pathé’s unique blend of political, social and cultural history. This revised BBC version re-interprets the material thematically in 12 episodes while retaining the enduring charm of the original series and its narration by celebrated actors of the day.

A wonderful collection of Royal Air Force “Astra Gazette” newsreels made by British Pathé in the 1950s. They were shown to serving RAF personnel in their very own Astra Cinemas which sat on air bases all over the world.

The aftermath, physical remains and survivor testimonies of some of the most notorious air crashes, both civilian and military, are covered in this extensive overview of tragedies from the years 1920 to 1973.

The years 1920 to 1966 witnessed many of the greatest and most enduring moments in the rich history of the England national football team. With remarkable, rarely-seen footage and fascinating commentary from the news reporters of the day, this programme is a charming insight into the team’s earlier years.

A continental motor racing adventure in which a big garage profiteer seeks to sabotage a British father and his children’s chances of winning an Alpine motor car rally, the £500 prize money from which would preserve their small and struggling garage business. This 1953 film features Basil Appleby and Freda Bamford – but the real star is the MG TD sports car!

Four episodes of the famous comedy travelogue from the 1960s promoting holidays in Britain. Ventriloquist Ray Alan and his companion Lord Charles embark on a whistle-stop tour of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Since its earliest days, cinema has been the world’s shop window for fashion. In that darkened emporium, audiences were introduced to a new world of trends and styles from around the globe. From the ground-breaking glamour now synonymous with the 1940s to the plight of wartime women trying to make the most of their clothing coupons, these British Pathé cinemagazines captured it all.

A fascinating collection of four vintage documentaries made by British Pathé between 1954 and 1965 celebrating the life and achievements of Sir Winston Churchill, including the official British Pathé obituary, This Was a Man (1965).

Relive the formative years of Britain’s most famous 20th-century princes and princesses – including Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry – in this comprehensive and nostalgic overview of public appearances by young royals.